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22oz. brown bomber, purchased at the brewpub the day after BA Blackout, poured into a Duvel tulip.

A: Pours a ruby, copper, mohagony color. 2 fingers of thick, creamy head forms and has pretty good retention.

S: Lots of dark, bready malts with some spiciness. Maybe some Christmas like spices but no cinnamon or anything that aggressive. Some spiciness from the yeast as well. Caramel and toffee from the malts. Definitely some hoppiness as well.

T/M: More of the dark, spiced bready notes. This more or less takes over any caramel but still has a some sweetness to it. Hops are also behind the malts but still have a big presence and add to the spiciness. Body is about medium full and feels somewhat creamy, though the carbonation is strong enough to cut through it.

D: Interesting brew. Definitely a bit like Arrogant Bastard but a bit bigger on the malt side and I'd guess a touch higher ABV, too.

Pours out a murky mahogany/rust color, with a modest head of almost whipped cream-like consistency. Stays thin, but stays put, never totally disappearing.

A blindfolded whiff-test would make me think "Arrogant Bastard." Deeper smelling reveals this to be a less assertive version of that great beer--pine/citrus hops and an almost rye-like earthy malt mingle well, neither coming on too strong.

The kind of spicy/earthy twist that rye gives comes into the flavor...not sure if they brewed it with rye--doubt it--but I'd believe it. Plenty of dark fruit and caramel sweetness, while the hops are just as the nose hinted: fresh-cut pine needles and grapefruit/orange bitter/tart. Cinnamon-y spiciness adds a little kick. Alcohol, which is undisclosed but likely 7-8% is felt only mildly, adding another smidgen of spice. There's a hint of toastiness in the back of the sip and finish that makes me wonder if they burnt the wort just a teeny tiny bit? Whatever it is, it doesn't detract from the character of the beer, and actually adds to it. Last word on the taste? BALANCE.

Feel is not as round, bold and creamy as the haughty Stone beer this seems inspired by, but it's no slouch either. Carbonation is present but seems to be made of microscopic bubbles that caress rather than tingle. The medium body is bulky without feeling heavy.

Completely consistent and utterly balanced, this was a surprise to me, and something that would please any fan of Arrogant Bastard wanting to go for something a little more obscure. If in Ohio, track it down. Otherwise, good luck...

Love to see BK beers on the shelves in Cincinnati. I've really enjoyed going to their location in Strongsville, and the owners are wonderfully good people who love to talk beer with fellow beer lovers.

This one pours a deep copper-penny color, slightly clear. A somewhat bubbly 2-finger creamy white head floats atop, and loads of sticky white lacing clings to the sides of the glass. Loads of carbonation bubbles run throughout.

Aroma is full of sticky-sweet caramel and hints of the heat of the alcohol. Not much else comes through, but that's not to say that the aroma is slight.

The taste is a moutful of toasted, buttery diacetyl, slightly caramelized malts, an oaky/woody earthiness and a light hop presence that comes across as tart green apple. Feel is moderate with a decent amount of carbonation and leaves a slightly sticky, viscous feel on the palate in the aftertaste.

Pretty reasonable drinkability for the style and ABV. The diacetyl is a little bit of a turnoff for me, but the heat of the alcohol adds a balancing effect. A tasty, enjoyable beer from a small, solid operation.